Low-Intensity Fire Burns Near Boggy Draw

A lightning-sparked fire is burning on the San Juan National Forest about eight miles northeast of the town of Dolores in the Boggy Draw area.

According to a news release, crews with the U.S. Forest Service and BLM are working to contain the low-intensity, 40-acre Draw Fire within an area bounded by forest roads and trails. The blaze was reported Tuesday afternoon by a host at the McPhee Campground. Dolores District Fire Management Officer Patrick Seekins said live fuels still contain moisture, so the fire is spreading slowly. Firefighters are focusing operations and patrols along the Boggy Draw Road, Forest Road 527, and also on Forest Road 528. Crews will continue to patrol the area as long as the fire burns. Smoke is expected to be visible from the Dolores-Norwood Road and may settle into the town of Dolores at night.

UPDATE: September 8th, 9:30am: The Forest Service says crews used indirect burnout operations late Thursday to contain east portions of the Draw Fire along existing forest road systems and increase the fire to 120 acres. Crews are focusing operations and patrols, and smoke is expected to remain visible for the next few days.

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KSJD's Austin Cope spoke on Wednesday morning with Chris Asbjorne, Fire Mitigation and Education Specialist for the Bureau of Land Management, for an update about the lightning-caused Secret Canyon Fire that started east of Dove Creek last week. Click below to listen.

The East Rim Fire on public lands 10 miles northeast of Dove Creek had grown to 689 acres as of Monday and was about 25 percent contained. Officials with the Bureau of Land Management report efforts to battle the lightning-sparked blaze have been scaled back because fire weather has moderated. While 77 people were assigned to the fire on a single day previously, on Monday there were only 28.